We retrospectively identified all lower respiratory tract cultures positive for C. pseudodiphtheriticum over a 10-year period and assessed clinical relevance by predefined criteria.
RESULTS:
Clinical relevance was likely or possible in 86% of patients. Pre-existent comorbidity was present in 86% of patients, mostly underlying cardiac or pulmonary disease. All isolates were susceptible to amoxicillin.
CONCLUSION:
C. pseudodiphtheriticum should be considered a clinically relevant pathogen when cultured from the lower respiratory tract in symptomatic patients.